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Story Headlines
- The Northwest Missouri State softball team came up on either side of a pair of one-run contests Sunday in St. Joseph, Mo.
- The games were played at the Heritage Park Softball Complex as a part of the MWSU Apple Market Classic. 16 teams are participating in the midseason crossover, eight apiece from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
- The Bearcats were on the losing end of a pitcher's duel to open the day, falling to Augustana 1-0.
- Northwest used a three-run fifth inning to sneak past Minnesota State in the nightcap, 4-3.
 

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Game One Key Statistics (Augustana 1, Northwest 0)
- The teams combined for just seven hits in the contest, with the Bearcats recording just three base knocks, tied for the fewest this season (3, Southern Nazarene, 2/12/16).
- Sarah Baldwin (4-3) tossed six effective innings, giving up just one run on four hits. The senior struck out one while inducing 15 groundouts to just one fly out.
- Alexis Kelsey reached base twice, doubling in the seventh after getting hit by a pitch in the fourth.
- Jaedra Moses beat out a bunt single to the third baseman in her first at bat.
- Junior Torri Blythe singled deep in the hole at short in her final at bat, finishing 1-for-3.

Game One Key Innings
- Baldwin retired the side in order in the third and fifth innings.
 
- Chantel Adams made a heads up play in the sixth, fooling a Viking into a rundown between third and home before Rebecca Maher ultimately applied the tag to maintain the one-run deficit.
 
- Moses singled on a bunt to third base and advanced to second on a throwing error in the top of the first. The freshman advanced to third on a groundout, but was stranded 60 feet away.
 

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Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 4, Minnesota State 3)
- Northwest picked up 11 hits in the game, compared to just seven for the Mavericks.
- Kendle Schieber (11-3) earned the win after scattering six hits and two walks across 5.2 innings of work. The senior struck out two MSU batters.
- Rachel Smith earned her first collegiate save after recording the final four outs. With the tying run on second, the freshman came in and struck out the first batter she faced before inducing three groundouts in the final frame.
- Five Bearcats tallied multi-hit games.
- Rebecca Maher finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. The sophomore made several stellar plays in the field.
- Jaedra Moses scored two runs on a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
- Freshman Kiana Baderdeen finished 2-for-3 and scored one run.
- Alexis Kelsey drove in a pair of runs, finishing with two singles.
- Torri Blythe finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
- Chantel Adams reached base twice with a walk and a single.
- Madison Jones drove in a run after drawing a bases loaded walk in the fifth.

Game Two Key Innings
- Baderdeen led off the third by speeding down the line and just beating the throw from the shortstop. After a pair of fielder's choices, Maher drilled a frozen rope double to left center, allowing Moses to score from first.
 
- Maher made a diving catch in the top of the fourth to preserve the one run lead, catching a ball just behind the pitching circle just before it reached the ground.
 
- In the bottom of the fifth, Baderdeen opened things with a bloop single to left. Blythe and Moses each laid down perfect bunt singles, with Blythe keeping it just inside the left field line and Moses finding the hole between the third baseman and pitcher. With the bases loaded, Kelsey drilled a two-run single to right center. Walks to Adams and Jones drove in another run, extending the Northwest lead to 4-0.
 
- Smith came on for the four-out save, striking out the final batter in the sixth with the tying run on second. Maher secured the victory with a perfect strike to first on a slow roller to short in the final at bat.
 

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Up Next
- Northwest will return to conference play when they hit the road to take on Lincoln on Friday, March 25. First pitch in the twin bill is set for 1 p.m. in Jefferson City, Mo.